This invention relates to a water-wettable wax composition and to a process for its preparation. More particularly, it relates to an improved water-wettable wax composition suitable for preparing an extremely small particle size emulsion in water, which emulsion is more uniform and more stable than conventional wax emulsions.
Waxes are usually defined as unctuous, fusible, viscous to solid substances, having a characteristic waxy luster, which are insoluble in water but normally soluble in carbon bisulfide, benzene, etc. Waxes are usually grouped according to their origin as follows: (a) animal (beeswax, stearic acid, etc.), (b) mineral (ozokerite, paraffin, ceresin, etc.), (c) vegetable (carnauba, bayberry, etc.). This invention relates particularly to hydrocarbon waxes, e.g., polyolefin waxes and waxes obtained from the distillation of paraffin-base petroleum. Petroleum waxes are particularly preferred because of their normal availability and relatively low cost.
It is known to prepare water-wettable wax compositions suitable for forming emulsions in water. Such emuslions are used to impart lubricity, for example, they may be used as textile lubricants, in laundering, in floor polishes, and in preparation of inks. An exemplary patent in this field is U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,599 to G. S. Schaufelberger. This patent discloses a dicarboxylic acid modified polyolefin wax emulsion particularly suitable for application to textile fibers and fabrics to impart characteristics such as softness, sheen, durability, shrink resistance, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,562 discloses a textile lubricant comprising an oxidized Fishcer-Tropsch wax and an emulsifier which is a catonic quaternary ammonium compound.
Although the prior art in this field is valuable, the known water-wettable waxes are relatively expensive and/or do not demonstrate rapid or uniform wetting in water suspensions. Accordingly, research has been continued in an effort to discover a relatively economic wax composition showing significantly more rapid and uniform wetting in water suspensions.